It was a moment many hoped would not come to fruition, but on Friday night the curtains at Oldham Coliseum fell for a final time.
"We are not leaving like this," said a artistic director Chris Lawson, as he struggled to hold back tears. "In a minute we will fill this room with applause."
Gathering the evening's cast and crew on stage, and holding the hands of the Coliseum's former artistic directors Kevin Shaw and Kenneth Alan Taylor, he looked out into the auditorium as audience members rose to their feet, a rapturous applause filled the room and the curtains, very slowly, fell for one last time.
Read more: “It will echo off the walls when the lights go out”: Oldham Coliseum's powerful last word
Going out on "its own terms" after losing its £1.8m government subsidy, the Fairbottom Street theatre, which helped launch the careers of some of the UK's best-known actors and performers, was determined to go out with a bang. An emotional night of performances and tributes from the likes of Christopher Eccleston and Maxine Peake brought applause, laughter, and plenty of tears to the auditorium, as the cast, crew and audience said goodbye to the historic venue.
In November, it became the biggest theatre outside of London to lose its £600,000 a year Arts Council England (ACE) subsidy, in a funding shake-up that sent shockwaves through the arts community and the town.
While ACE have ringfenced the same amount of money - £1.85m over three years - to fund cultural activity in the town, and supported a plan by Oldham Council to create a new £24.5m theatre, which is due to open in 2026, many residents and supporters of The Coliseum remain sceptical and passionately campaigned to save the theatre in its current form. Despite public meetings, petitions and appeals to the Arts Council over the last five months, the venue has been forced to shutter - but not without having the final word.
'If we're going out, we're doing it our way', pledged the team at the Coliseum last week as it announced Encore, a compilation of script-in-hand performances by over 20 actors from 11 Coliseum productions, comedians, and some very special guests. Tickets sold out in just 30 minutes - a clear indication of what the historic theatre means to the Greater Manchester town.
Noise poured from the theatre ahead of curtain call, as actors packed out every room available to rehearse. Some had days to refine, others just hours, and Christopher Eccleston - who took to the stage alongside Maxine Peake to perform a scene from an adaptation of Ken Loach's award-winning film I, Daniel Blake - "just seven minutes" joked Chris Lawson, such was the last-minute nature of proceedings following the confirmation of its closure just two weeks ago.
In the foyer, theatre-goers snap up old programmes, while Box Office staff and stewards embrace, politely ask each other they're holding up. Hazel Tetlow had been a customer experience volunteer at the Coliseum for 16 years, and struggles to find the words. "You just can't prepare for a moment like this," she offers.
"I've been helping here for 16 years and I've met such lovely people and made so many friends. I never thought it would come to this, I have so many mixed emotions tonight."
Hazel and another steward take a sneak peek into the auditorium. "They've got the posh curtains up tonight," she tells her friend and they both step forward - a last chance to soak it all up. Behind her stands Kyle Wilcock, duty manager a and volunteer coordinator.
His love for the 'Coli' began at a young age when his grandparents brought him to see his first panto in 2001. He then began attending drama classes at the theatre in 2007 and performing plays before joining the front-of-house team in 2015 and working his way up. "It's quite a momentous evening really," he says. "It's played a big part in my life, so I feel very sombre but also excited this evening to welcome people back."
The much-loved theatre began its life as the Grand American Circus and Hippodrome in 1885 and was at one point surrounded by almost a dozen other theatres. It was the only surviving professional theatre in the town.
Countless performers have trod its boards - from comedy greats Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel to movie stars such as Minnie Driver and Ralph Fiennes - and it has also served as a training ground for a host of stars, not least a host of Coronation Street stars including Barbara Knox, William Roache and Anne Kirkbride.
In the bar, pantomime fan Caroline Elsey is studying the programme. She's travelled over 200 miles from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex to pay her respects. "It's cost me a few hundred to be here but it's got to be done," she says with conviction. "When I first heard the news, I was absolutely gutted. I have friends who live here and who visit, and it's such as loss to Oldham."
In the upstairs bar, David Wilde and Ruth Simpson grab a quick drink before the show. "I first came in 1968 and we're local, but we actually live in Gloucestershire now," says David.
"We originally came up to see The King and I in Manchester," a statement which is swiftly corrected by his partner Ruth, who tells him it's actually My Fair Lady on at the Palace in town. "Anyway, we saw this was also on so we've come up today and seen some old friends ahead of the show.
"I've got many happy memories of this place and I'm very sad to see it go. I think it's a disgrace it's being allowed to go."
On Oldham Council's new plans for a arts centre proposed for 2026: "I'll believe it when I see it. I used to work for the council so I know what I'm talking about."
Next to them, Glyn Crossley and Pamela Crossley, who have been coming forty odd years soak it all in. "It's history", says Pamela holding her arms out wide. "It's a beautiful building. When you think of all the theatres in London, they renovate them, and I think they should do that in our little towns up here as well."
Over the speakers, people are instructed to head into the auditorium and take their seats. No photos are allowed but people can't resist snapping one last picture. A few rows back from the stage, a small group huddle together for a picture. "As long as have a picture of us in here," says one woman impatiently as she waits for her friend to work out how to use her phone to capture the moment.
"I've written this speech well over 20 times and none of the versions felt right," says Chris as he's warmly welcomed to he stage. "How do you sum up 138 years in one night?
It's a tall order to do so, but over the course of the next three and a half hours, performers - amateur and professional, young and old - take to the stage, many giving what the audience is sure, is their very best. Snippets from previous shows including Dreamers, a 2015 musical inspired by the legendary Oldham nightclub, delights and has everyone clapping along, while Brassed Off, the theatre's highest grossing production features a moving monologue from William Travis with music from 15-piece brass band, Diggle Band from Saddleworth.
An ensemble cast of panto stars past also grace the stage in full costume to perform an uplifting pop medley, while Sam Glen and William Travis reprise their roles from The Kitchen Sink, the latter stating, "there's life after this hopefully". We're treated to a tear-jerking performance of 'One Day More' from Les Misérables featuring Congress Players and musical friends, while actress Sue Devaney tells the audience she loves the theatre, blowing air kisses to the stalls, circle and the Oldham Coliseum stage after a rousing rendition of 'Non, je ne regrette rien'.
Through songs, monologues and excerpts of plays we're reminded not only of the excellent calibre of shows that have been commissioned here, but of the power of theatre to communicate what many of us are inwardly thinking. Some come out and just say it of course, but others prefer to let the acting, singing and dancing do the talking.
There's a sprinkle of optimism in the air, "at some point in the future we will be reunited" they say, but as the night's performers take to the stage to receive a much-deserved standing ovation, no one wants to move, they all just want one more minute to soak it in. One more minute to to reminisce and to celebrate this iconic theatre before it finally closes it doors for good.
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